O's claim Shawn Armstrong off waivers from Seattle

[murph]

27 minutes ago, Luke-OH said:

Armstrong is a plus spin rate flier it seems.

He was top 10 in the majors in FB, cutter, and slider spin rate in 2018.

Another derail.   What was that pitch Tyler Wilson threw you tweeted about earlier?   Almost looked like a knuckle curve.   Any idea?    I agree with @Philip really enjoy all your contributions.    Thx.   

[Luke-OH]

4 minutes ago, Philip said:

The last year or so Buck was around, he spent a lot of time talking about spin rate. It became his go- to Stat when he apparently got tired of talking about Time to the plate.

Luke I know you’re big on analysis in the minor-leaguers, and I enjoy very much reading your comments, can you explain what’s the big deal about spin rate?

Spin dictates the movement on pitches. The ability to spin the ball is at least to a decent extent an ability that is hard to teach. High spin pitches have a tendency to have late movement and add an additional level of deception that can throw hitters off. 

So, I guess the next question would be why would someone with plus spin on all their pitches struggle? Well there are a lot of reasons that could happen, they could have poor command, poor command equals poor results in the majors regardless of stuff. Poor spin efficiency (a term you'll probably hear more often going forward), so basically, the pitcher is spinning the ball rapidly, but because of the grip, release, or arm slot that spin does not impart the desired movement. Poor strategy, this is where the Astros FO really took advantage of high spin guys, they found players weren't using their high spin pitches in the locations or situations where they would be the most effective. A simple example of this is a high spin four seam fastball, the movement of a pure backspin (near 100% pitch efficiency) 4S FB is just falling less than an average fastball (can give the optical illusion of a rising fastball). These fastballs play very poorly at the bottom of the zone where many old school pitching coaches want pitchers to work, but they are devastating in the upper 3rd or above the zone. 

[Luke-OH]

13 minutes ago, murph said:

Another derail.   What was that pitch Tyler Wilson threw you tweeted about earlier?   Almost looked like a knuckle curve.   Any idea?    I agree with @Philip really enjoy all your contributions.    Thx.   

Not sure if it was a knuckle curve or a traditional curveball grip, but Wilson always flashed a good curve, he's problem was he didn't have the velocity or the command of his offspeed pitches to have consistent success. I'm not sure if his velocity has improved or command or if his below average RHP velocity just plays better in a lesser league. (no offense to the KBO, but it is probably AAA quality)

Edit: I don't agree at all with this articles assessment of "five plus pitches", but it does have good examples of Wilson's arsenal. https://community.fangraphs.com/tyler-wilson-and-his-five-plus-pitches/

[murph]

1 minute ago, Luke-OH said:

Not sure if it was a knuckle curve or a traditional curveball grip, but Wilson always flashed a good curve, he's problem was he didn't have the velocity or the command of his offspeed pitches to have consistent success. I'm not sure if his velocity has improved or command or if his below average RHP velocity just plays better in a lesser league. (no offense to the KBO, but it is probably AAA quality)

Thanks.   Just was amazed by the movement.  I’m glad he is doing well.   

[Ohfan67]

The Orioles are in full throw-it-against-the-wall mode this year. Might as well. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, murph said:

I had one of those!    You really couldn’t pull the limbs off no matter how hard you tried!

Sorry for the derail.    I am amazed by all these moves.   All O’s should be notice that their time could be short I guess.    

Hyde is gonna he pointing a finger at some point and saying hey you!    Yes you!  Your up!   (Whispers to Long, what’s that guys name again?). 

Stretch Armstrong was rereleased in the last few years. My son bought one for his friend’s birthday last year. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

36 minutes ago, Ohfan67 said:

The Orioles are in full throw-it-against-the-wall mode this year. Might as well. 

Hopefully something sticks...

[OriolesMagic83]

7 hours ago, JimGinSP said:

Mike Wright was drafted in 3rd round of 2011 draft from East Carolina University.  

Shawn Armstrong was drafted in 18th round of 2011 draft from...East Carolina University!    

Mike Wright lite?

[weams]

2 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

Not sure if it was a knuckle curve or a traditional curveball grip, but Wilson always flashed a good curve, he's problem was he didn't have the velocity or the command of his offspeed pitches to have consistent success. I'm not sure if his velocity has improved or command or if his below average RHP velocity just plays better in a lesser league. (no offense to the KBO, but it is probably AAA quality)

Edit: I don't agree at all with this articles assessment of "five plus pitches", but it does have good examples of Wilson's arsenal. https://community.fangraphs.com/tyler-wilson-and-his-five-plus-pitches/

Different baseballs there too. 

[DrungoHazewood]

18 hours ago, tntoriole said:

Go Pirates!  

I will never do any such thing.  Not after the '91 Tech-ECU game.  Backup QB Rod Wooten driving the Hokies for the winning score late the 4th, securing bowl eligibility for the first time since NCAA probation.  Throws a pick in the north end zone at Lane Stadium that's turned into a 104-yard touchdown return.  Season crumbles.  No bowls the whole time I'm in school.  Never root for ECU.

[SteveA]

43 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I will never do any such thing.  Not after the '91 Tech-ECU game.  Backup QB Rod Wooten driving the Hokies for the winning score late the 4th, securing bowl eligibility for the first time since NCAA probation.  Throws a pick in the north end zone at Lane Stadium that's turned into a 104-yard touchdown return.  Season crumbles.  No bowls the whole time I'm in school.  Never root for ECU.

I had gotten out of school a couple years earlier.

It was pre-internet, of course, and there was no VT radio station I could get in Maryland.  There was only one ESPN so there were maybe 6 televised football games on a Saturday instead of 30+ like today, and the VT ECU game wasn't on TV.  And it was pre cell phone era as well.

I had attended a wedding and the reception was at a venue about 30 minutes away but wasn't scheduled to start for an hour.  So I had some time to kill.  I stopped at a pay phone at a gas station in Laurel, in my suit and tie, and called a number you could call to listen to sports broadcasts over the phone and charge them to a credit card.  I probably ran up about a $15 bill standing there listening to that game, including the fateful pick 6.

[Tony-OH]

52 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I will never do any such thing.  Not after the '91 Tech-ECU game.  Backup QB Rod Wooten driving the Hokies for the winning score late the 4th, securing bowl eligibility for the first time since NCAA probation.  Throws a pick in the north end zone at Lane Stadium that's turned into a 104-yard touchdown return.  Season crumbles.  No bowls the whole time I'm in school.  Never root for ECU.

Gotta love a late 40s sports fan who holds grudges from his college days!  This is why I will always "hate" Duke!

[Slappy]

Wright vs. Armstrong tale of the tape:

Armstrong 28yo RHP:

career MiLB stats 350.2 IP, 2.26 ERA, 254 H, 172 BB (4.4 per 9), 478 K (12.3), 13 HR (0.3), 1.215 WHIP

career MLB stats 61.2 IP, 3.65 ERA, 54 H, 23 BB (3.4 per 9), 56 K (8.2), 9 HR (1.3), 4.60 FIP, 1.249 WHIP

 

Wright 29yo RHP

career MiLB stats 692.0 IP, 3.73 ERA, 705 H, 177 BB (2.3 per 9), 552 K (7.2), 53 HR (0.7), 1.275 WHIP

career MLB stats 244.0 IP, 5.94 ERA, 283 H, 96 BB (3.5 per 9), 195 K (7.2), 43 HR (1.6), 5.34 FIP, 1.553 WHIP

 

Just going by those stats, Armstrong seems worth a flyer to me. He's pretty much better statistically than Wright across the board, although I know we are comparing relievers with starters here. The high K rate and reasonably low HR rate, even in the PCL, are pretty encouraging. Control looks like a potential issue. Hopefully he's healthy.

[tntoriole]

9 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I will never do any such thing.  Not after the '91 Tech-ECU game.  Backup QB Rod Wooten driving the Hokies for the winning score late the 4th, securing bowl eligibility for the first time since NCAA probation.  Throws a pick in the north end zone at Lane Stadium that's turned into a 104-yard touchdown return.  Season crumbles.  No bowls the whole time I'm in school.  Never root for ECU.

My niece is a proud Pirate grad and my nephew was the sports broadcaster for ECU but now has a daily sports talk show in Winston Salem.    My son is a proud Hokie grad, so I feel you!  

[Luke-OH]

The Pirates have a number of players who will get drafted in June.

Bryant Packard

Jake Agnos

Spencer Brickhouse

Trey Benton

Evan Voliva

With the first 3 being top 5 round talents.